Voluntary unionism ‘views’ challenged

Press, 14 December 1983, Page 50

Voluntary unionism ‘views’ challenged

PA Wellington No one employer view on voluntary unionism prevails, according to the Employers’ Federation executive director, Mr J. W. Rowe. Mr Rowe in a recent address took issue with the frequently heard comment that small employers would tend to favour voluntary unionism and large employers prefer the status quo.

“There may be some truth in this but size is probably a less significant factor than type of workplace — whether it is what we ordinarily think of as a factory,” he said. “Type of industry or activity, history, location, and so on are all likely to have a bearing on how employers see this issue. Union behaviour in the recent past is also likely to influence employer attitudes.” Mr Rowe said that the most likely outcome of the removal of unqualified pre-

ference was a variety of patterns, depending on underlying employer and worker attitudes, ranging from virtually total union membership to virtually none at all. He said it was 89 years since trade union membership in the private sector was fully voluntary.

“Ever since the industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act of 1894 trade unions have been protected species... in the last halfcentury, especially, there has been very little room for individual choice.” Mr Rowe said that since 1961 there had been many changes in social attitudes, legislation, institutions and customs. Generally these changes had been towards greater individual freedom. The need for big economic changes had come on top of big social changes, he said.

“It is not surprising that changes should also be seen

to be necessary in the structure and functioning of trade unions and in compulsory membership.” Mr Rowe said the question of whether workers should be free to join or not join organisations was not primarily the business of employers. “But the question of whether everyone in the work-place should be free to join or not join organisations of their choice was one for employers as well as workers.”

This was why the Employers’ Federation had focused attention on freedom of association rather than voluntary unionism.

“The main reason for focusing on freedom of association, as incorporated in the International Labour Organisation’s convention 87, was to highlight the concept as the basis of employer and worker rights, and the convention as their charter,” Mr Rowe said.